Are the media supporting the Democrats this election cycle?

Washington
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Are the mainstream media supporting the Democrats over the Republicans during this election cycle? A new poll suggests that more than half of Americans think the GOP is getting the shaft from the media.

For years, each side of the two-party system in the United States has accused the media of being biased towards either the GOP or the Democratic Party. In this year’s presidential campaign, the American electorate believes U.S. President Barack Obama has received favorable coverage from the media.

This is the latest finding from Rasmussen Reports. It found that 59 percent of Americans say the incumbent president has garnered the best treatment from the mainstream media. Meanwhile, 18 percent of respondents said presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney was treated better. Nearly a quarter of voters were undecided.

It also found that 51 percent believe reporters will help President Obama, while only 9 percent said journalists would assist Romney in capturing the White House.

“When covering a political campaign, do most reporters try to offer unbiased coverage or do they try to help the candidate they want to win?

“Think for a moment about the two major presidential candidates this year. Which candidate received the best treatment from the media so far—Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?

“When it comes to information about the Presidential campaign, who do you trust more—news reporters or family and friends?”

The telephone survey was conducted with 1,000 likely voters from Aug. 8 to Aug. 9. The poll contains a margin of error of +/- three percentage points.

Rasmussen also published its daily presidential tracking poll. Wednesday’s results suggested that the former Massachusetts Governor is generating 47 percent support, compared to President Obama’s 43 percent. Seven percent of voters are undecided and four percent said they’d vote for another candidate.